Promises were made to be kept
by jnicweb
Summary: Nico and Will had been best friends forever. They had been inseparable. Until Nico moved away and never came back...or so Will thought.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The blond boy visits the library twice a week. Tuesdays and Thursdays. 2:00 on Tuesdays and 3:00 on Thursdays. He has to pick up his sister on Thursdays, so it takes a little longer for him to arrive. Sometimes the blond boy would make a quick stop on Saturdays too, but the other one was never sure when that would be, so he didn't bother going to the library regularly on Saturdays. The blond boy could be found mostly in the young adult section, or wandering the movie section. After he had found a book to his liking, the blond boy would go sit in the blue chair all the way in the back in the second row. Usually he stayed for a couple hours, finishing homework, or reading. Then he would check his watch, stand up, and walk out. He never saw the dark eyes that followed him around the library as he browsed the books or movies. He never noticed the way a certain somebody's eyes softened every time he sank into the blue chair to do homework. But that was because the dark eyed boy made sure to stay hidden.

**This is the first part of my new story. I will probably update once a week.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hope you guys liked that prologue...I admit it was pretty short. But it was just to introduce the story. I know I said I would update once a week, but I got really excited and proud and here is the official first chapter.**

Chapter 1

Fist fights _sucked._ Especially the ones that attracted crowds. Those were the worst. He winced as he touched the cut on his lip and the growing bruise on his knee. That would leave a mark. Luckily it was winter and he could hide his various bruises and gashes underneath clothing. But it would hurt like crap tomorrow. Flopping on his bed, which was a bad idea because of the bruise on his back, he stared up at the ceiling and cursed whoever thought it would be a good idea to mess with the "emo freak." That never ends well. For anyone. He kicked his shoes off and flipped so he was on his stomach. Slightly better in the sense that he barely had any bruises on his chest. With his face buried in the pillow, he didn't hear the door to his room open until he felt the bed sink under the weight of someone on his bed. Groaning he looked up to see the face of his sister. Concern, disappointment and pity were all shown on her face. He didn't need her pity. He only needed some disinfectant and maybe some bandages for the assortment of injuries on his body.

Slowly he sat up, moaning when he twisted wrong and made the bruise on his back suddenly flare up with pain. His sister noticed, of course she did, and she made a beeline to the bathroom where he kept the medical supplies.

With her arms filled with their collection of first-aid, she ordered him to remove his shirt. Rolling his eyes, he grumbled about women always trying to get his shirt off. She rolled her eyes back at him, and gestured impatiently, saying that if he wanted her help, he needed to take his shirt off. Still muttering under his breath, he complied, wincing as he moved his sore arms over his head. She shook her head at his mass of distorted flesh. Digging out the disinfectant, she asked a silent question with a slight tilt of her head. He looked down at his lap, embarrassed that he had let their words get to him yet again. He hated the way they looked at him, sneered at him, like he was something less than human. She never had that problem, because she was beautiful, smart, funny, and above all, _normal. _He didn't have that luxury. So he said nothing, but she understood.

Sensing that the conversation was over before it even started, she gently cleaned out his wounds and then carefully placed bandages on the worst. Occasionally he hissed out in pain, and she would just bite her lips and say nothing. He knew this was his fault. He shouldn't let those ignorant fools get to him. But they did. So he had to fight. She didn't understand the duty and responsibility that comes with being a guy. You had to stand up for yourself, or suffer even more bullying.

As she was cleaning his cuts and bruises, he thought about what it would feel like to have _his_ hands touching him like his sister was. He wanted to feel like what it would be if _he _was cleaning the wounds, muttering calming words under his breath, singing under his breath. _You are my sunshine._ Immediately his cheeks flared up with a blush. Trying to hide his face from his sister, he turned his head in embarrassment. He didn't need her interrogating him. But she noticed his abrupt movement and cocked her eyebrow in an unspoken question. He shook his head and tried to bring her attention to the particularly nasty bruise on his knee, which was probably the worst.

She turned her attention to the bruise, but he knew the conversation was long from over. At least he had a bit longer until she dredged the truth out of him. With a satisfied nod of her head, she indicated that all his injuries had been taken care of. He flashed a grateful look at her and flopped on the bed again. He grunted when he felt the rough sheets on his unprotected knee. The bandages helped his other wounds, but the pain was still there. He sighed heavily, and looked out the window. His sister shook her head at his antics and dramatics and walked out of his apartment.

Finally she was gone. He appreciated her concern, but sometimes he really needed some time to himself. He rolled off his bed and searched under it for the box he knew was there…somewhere. At last his hand came into contact with the cardboard edges. He pulled it out and sat it on his lap. With a deep breath, he opened it.

There was the scrap of blue fabric on top. He brought it up to his cheek and inhaled deeply. It still held the faint scent of sunshine and the beach. But maybe that was just his imagination. This was by far his favorite piece of the box. He set the fabric aside, and dug around the box, fingering each object and remembering each moment when he had added it to his memory box. There was the scrap of fabric, a couple photos, a napkin with a smiley face and a number written on it, a cheesy sticky note that was wrinkled and stained, an old hoodie with a smiling sun on it, and many other seemingly random objects. His hand flew up to finger the ring he had hanging on a chain around his neck, remembering the bittersweet memories that accompanied each and every item. And, just like usual, each memory and each object brought a stab to his heart when he remembered why he kept them, and why they would never be more than pieces of his past. _People suck._ Today had brought up ancient recollections of _him_ and he needed this reminder that that time was long past, and the only things he had for company were scraps of fabric and faint images of times long gone.

Having his fill of bittersweet thoughts and remembering, he tucked every piece of his childhood tenderly in the box, and slid it under the bed again, waiting to be dug out again when he needed the reminder that life sucked, and that promises were made to break.

**So this story has 8 chapters and I have them all written out. As I said I will try to restrain myself and update once a week but if I get too excited I may update sooner;) See you next week!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hoped you guys liked the first chapter enough to stick around for number two!**

If he thought yesterday was bad enough to bring up memories of_ him_, he was sorely wrong. Today had been even worse. Even though he wasn't at school, every slight mention of the sun, the beach, even _doctors_ had his nerves on edge, waiting for _his _name to be said. Logically, the dark haired boy knew that none of these people at the grocery store would say the blond's name, but his heart didn't quite understand that. His nerves had been strung so tightly, you could have played them like a violin. His brain couldn't take much more waiting for the bomb to drop. His entire body was tense, ready to flee at the slightest whisper of anything related to_ him._ He should have realized it would be this bad. Today was their anniversary. Normally he would rejoice that he had such a reminder that they had stayed together for so long, but they weren't together any more, and they never were, and they never could be. It was the anniversary of lost chances and broken hearts. After all these years, it should have been easier to think of_ him_ without pain or sadness, but it wasn't. It was still the same feelings of hopelessness and remorse that he had felt all those years ago when he had left, and that hole in his heart had only gotten bigger.

_"Promise you'll write, or e-mail, or text, I could even get a Skype, or we could-" Will was cut off by a rough hug from his best friend. Actually, Nico wished he could kiss Will, but he didn't want to be rebuffed by his best friend. Based on the stiffness of Will's body when he hugged him, the blond seemed surprised at this sudden rush of affection from his normally gruff friend, but accepted the hug nonetheless. Men weren't really supposed to show emotions, and Nico didn't really want to be criticized for yet another thing, but even passersby could see the turmoil and pain in these two boys as they said goodbye for maybe the last time. Nico could feel the silent sobs that racked his friend's body, but he didn't say anything about it, content to just be together, trying to comfort the blond while desperately attempting to calm his own body down. Finally they released each other and Nico tried to subtly wipe his nose and dry his eyes. Wanting to keep some semblance of normalcy, Nico punched Will's shoulder. Will pretended to wince, and then shoved Nico back, with a hesitant smile playing around his lips. Nico let loose a laugh and he thought he saw Will's shoulders shake with a laugh of his own. Nico couldn't help thinking that this would be the last time he would ever see his friend, and wanted to tell him how he felt, but couldn't bring himself to take that last step towards Will. It was better to leave on a good note, rather than an awkward one, or worse, see a disgusted look on his friend's face. He couldn't have all his memories of Will be tainted by one wrong move that might ruin their friendship. So he just smiled at the blond, and wished he was thinking the same things. _

_ They stood there for what seemed like forever, not talking, but letting the silence wash over them, trying to capture the feeling of being in each other's presence. Nico figured if he couldn't have the real Will with him, he could at least remember the feeling of being with him, so he could replay the feeling later. They stood close to each other, closer than was necessary, but neither moved backwards. Nico couldn't help but flick his eyes down to Will's lips, which seemed impossibly soft and large. _

_ Before Nico's emotions got the best of him, his parents called him from the entrance of the terminal. Immediately whatever happiness they had been able to salvage from the goodbye was gone. Their smiles dropped, their shoulders slumped, and the feeling from before was lost._

_ "I guess this is goodbye," Nico muttered with a shaky voice, with his head tilted towards the ground._

_ "Not forever," Will said with a sort of smile. Nico raised his head at last, and gave Will what he thought was a bright smile. But judging by Will's face, it probably looked more like a grimace. Not able to take any more sadness, Nico turned around, away from his best friend, who couldn't see him cry. But Will caught his arm._

_ "I will see you again. I promise," Will whispered with a serious look. Nico was surprised, why would Will promise him something like that? Nico would probably never see Will again. But he nodded for Will's sake. Nico knew in his heart that this goodbye would be forever. Abruptly, he swiveled on his feet, almost running to his parents, because if he didn't say goodbye now, he never would. At the entrance to the terminal, Nico turned to see Will still there, looking unbearably sad. With a shaky smile, Nico raised his right hand in a sort of wave. Nico saw Will's ring, with its pattern of the moon and stars, and felt a stab of pain: it might be the last time he saw that ring, along with its owner. As he turned around to board the plane, he allowed a single tear to make its way down his cheek._

The blond boy had been right. Their goodbye wasn't forever. But only one of them got to say hello again.

The dark haired boy felt his cheeks getting wet with tears. No matter how hard he tried to forget the way his best friend smiled, or the way his hands were always in his pockets, or how his eyes sparkled when he laughed, he couldn't. The memories were too bright, too blinding. He supposed that's what the down side of being too close to the sun was. You got burnt.

Sighing, and wiping his eyes, he got up off the bed, hissing and groaning in pain at his injuries that still riddled his body with pain. He supposed it was good he didn't go to school today. His anger management wasn't the best, and who knew what would have happened if he took offense at the wrong comment made at the wrong time. So it was for the best that he stayed home today. It was good that his sister had had the foresight to remove all the knives and blades from his rooms yesterday when she visited. He wasn't sure he would have been able to stop himself.

_He _had always been able to curb his best friend's destructive tendencies with a whisper, _you are my sunshine. _The thought would pass, and he would just look at _him_ guiltily, sad and remorseful that he was about to put his friend though all the pain of seeing him dead. Thinking back on it, he would have been dead a million times over if it hadn't been for the soft mutterings and calm whispers of his best friend. Only_ he_ could get the dark haired boy out of his own head.

The dark eyed boy wondered if he had had the same influence on _him_ when they were friends. He doubted it. The blond boy never seemed to need anyone. _He _was always so bright and cheerful, always with a smile on his face, always there to comfort his best friend. The other boy wondered if he ever really meant something to his best blond friend. He wondered if _he _ever actually meant to keep all those promises they made. Because in all his many years of life, promises that were made, were broken. And he couldn't bear to have more be broken by his best friend.

**So, I don't know if anyone noticed, but I will end each chapter with a statement that goes along the lines of "promises were made to be broken," because Nico has had many promises broken by people in his life, so he thinks that's their only use.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey there! I decided to post this chapter a day early, to make up for the late chapter last week...sorry. Anyway, look out for the next chapter, which will be posted next Monday...hopefully.**

It was Tuesday. After the horrendous flashback session yesterday, the dark haired boy wasn't sure if he needed another reason to cry over his best friend, but he couldn't pass up the chance to see _him. _So after school, he headed over to the public library where a certain blond haired boy would be arriving any second now.

Settling himself into his customary red chair, he waited for his blondie to come through the door. From his seat in the library, he had the perfect view of the blue chair that _he _always occupied. With one eye on the door, and one eye on the magazine he had picked up to remain semi-anonymous, he drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. He was nervous. Just like he always was on Tuesdays and Thursdays when the thought of seeing his once best friend was too much. He didn't know if this was going to be the day when he was finally discovered for the freak and stalker that he was. He couldn't bear the thought of his friend looking at him with disgust. Others looked at him with disgust, not his blue eyed boy. Others criticized him for his looks and personality, while his blond haired friend comforted him, telling him he was beautiful, telling him _you are my sunshine._ Even though those times were long gone, the dark haired boy couldn't have those memories be tainted by the looks of scorn he was sure to receive when he was found out.

These trips to the library had always held for him a certain sense of adventure and mystery. When they were younger, the boy from the dark and the boy from the light would play bandits, trying to remain unseen by everyone. They would sneak around, sliding along walls, creeping up the stairs, desperate to not make a sound. They would giggle, and laugh with their hands over their mouths, wanting to be caught, but trying so very hard not to be. Now, more than a decade later, the boy from the dark, who wasn't even a boy any more, found himself playing this same game, but this time, there was only one bandit. That thought made him terribly sad. He no longer had his other bandit by his side, sneaking around together, trying to rescue the maiden, who was usually one of _his _siblings. So even though the visits to the library were adventurous, they also held a certain degree of sadness with them. Knowing those times were long gone, knowing they would probably never play bandits again, made the trips to the library that much more painful. But everything was worth seeing his blond haired boy through the slits of the shelves, through the hazy screen of reality that the dark haired boy could never really pierce when he was in the library glancing at the boy who had captured his heart.

Caught in his daydreams of bandits and maidens, the pale skinned boy didn't notice when the door to the library opened, and his blond boy walked through until _he_ was right in front of him. With an unmanly squeal, he jumped up from his red chair, hoping against hope that the other boy had been too invested in his book searching to notice him. Thankfully, his prayers had been answered, and the blond boy was wearing headphones. He hadn't even heard the womanly shriek that had escaped the lips of the dark haired boy. Unspeakably relieved that he hadn't been found out, he cursed his stupidity and his lack of attention and alertness. He had almost been seen! That was one of the only rules in bandits. Do not be seen. The simplest rule that had governed his life ever since he moved back had almost been broken because he hadn't been able to escape his own thoughts and see what was around him.

Vowing that he would pay better attention in the future, he slinked back over to where the blond boy was searching for books. _He_ was in his favorite place of the library; the young adult section. Even after many months of seeing his friend in this section, the dark haired boy still smirked at the blonde's preference for books written for teenagers. He supposed they were easier to understand, had a simpler problem than real life, and were just pieces of fluff you would read when you needed to get out of reality for a while. And that's why he himself read books in the young adult part of the library.

Looking at the blond, he thought he saw something shining around his neck. A chain necklace, with what looked like a…ring? Distracted, he realized that he was looking unabashedly at the blond, and probably looked like a creeper. The dark haired boy tried to make it seem like he was looking for a book, rather than be caught looking creepily at another guy. Letting his hands run across the spines of the books, his eyes seemingly looking at the book's titles, but really, he was looking at the forehead of his past best friend. Suddenly embarrassed at how far he was taking this little obsession, he ducked his head to the books at which he was supposed to be looking. Taking a random book from the shelves, he turned on his heels, and walked right past the aisle his friend was down, just to show that little voice in his head that he wasn't scared of being caught, that he could forget about the blond just a couple feet away. But he was scared, and he couldn't forget, so he turned his head the other way as he walked past, relieved when he was beyond the sight of the blond boy.

He walked into the secluded part of the library: the classics. All the books there were coated with a fine layer of dust, revealing that this section of the library had not been visited for many years. The dark haired boy could always find comfort in this old section. He felt he shared a special connection with the classics. They were covered with dust from being unused, just like he was. They were a bit boring at the beginning, but once you got to the main part of the story, they were worth your time. You just had to get past the walls built up to keep people out.

While seated against the shelf of the library, the dark haired boy remembered seeing something glinting around the neck of the blond boy. It had looked like a ring of some kind. Maybe a wedding ring? The thought made him unspeakably sad. But a wedding ring would have been on his finger, not around his neck. Maybe a promise ring that was from his childhood that could no longer fit on his finger? Suddenly the dark haired boy had to know what this ring was. And possibly who it was from. And possibly go beat them up.

Creeping around the library, without being seen by someone, while simultaneously trying to look like a normal person, is no small feat. So when he reached the young adult section, only to find the blond not there was a little disheartening. But, the dark haired boy persevered, and went to go look at the movies section, the blonde's second favorite library haunt.

He found _him _there, looking at the Lord of the Rings movies. _He_ always was a sucker for Orlando Bloom. Then again, who wasn't? Trying to remain unseen, he scanned the movies, seemingly looking for a specific movie, but really he was trying to get a good look at the ring hanging off the chain around the blonde's neck. If it was a promise ring from some other guy, there was going to be crap to pay-then he felt his heart stop. Etched in the black stone were stars, which surrounded a moon. He knew that ring. Knew it intimately. Knew it better than he knew himself. Time spent spinning that very ring around his finger had made him very familiar with each nick and etched pattern.

The dark haired boy's hand shot up to his own neck, where he had a similar ring hanging from a similar chain necklace. It was much too small for his finger now, but he could remember with vivid detail the day he got it.

_Laughing and fooling around, they didn't notice it getting dark until Will pointed out the pretty sunset. Nico thought there had to be some significance in the fact that he liked the sunrise better than the sunset. It could have been the start of the new day, but Nico knew that it was the sight of the sun, bright and blinding that reminded him of a certain blond boy with a smile that brightened the world. With the disappearance of the sun, and the thought that his own personal sun could disappear at any point, Nico was struck with an idea. He wedged his family ring off his finger and shyly held it out for Will._

_ The ring had a moon on it, surrounded by twinkling stars etched into the black stone. Nico thought it was ironic, giving this dark ring to the boy who was basically the sun itself in person-form._

_ "What's this?" the blond boy asked. Suddenly Nico was afraid that his friend wouldn't want the gift. It was pretty unlike Nico to show affection, and this was a big step for him. Usually Will took the first step. But this time, Nico wanted to initiate something. Something he hoped would last forever._

_ "It's uh, my family ring. I want you to have it," the dark haired boy whispered to his lap. He couldn't bear to see the look of revulsion or rejection on his friend's face. He heard a gasp come from the other boy. His head shot up at the sound, worried that he had somehow insulted the other boy, and saw Will's own family ring in the palm of his hand, outstretched for Nico to take. Nico could have sworn his heart skipped a beat at the sight of Will, smiling like the sun, with the ring in his hand, looking at Nico like he was the only thing that mattered in the world._

_ "Well, then you should have mine if I have yours," Will said. Will's family ring had a sun on it, which Nico thought was fitting for the blond. Grinning and very relieved he hadn't embarrassed himself, Nico plopped his ring in Will's hand and snatched up Will's ring._

_ "Friends forever?" he asked as he slipped the ring on his finger._

_ "Friend forever," Will agreed, ring on his own finger._

The ring had been the first thing that had really solidified their friendship, turning them from just friends, to best friends. With such a simple gesture, the dark haired boy never imagined that the feelings from that night would increase and multiply until they had completely taken over his very heart and soul. If he had, that night might have been played out differently.

Because the blond had lied and left. Just like everyone. That was the dark haired boy's first taste of friendship, and being accepted, and being wanted. He should have known it wouldn't last. Nothing ever did. People said they would stay forever, but ended up leaving when things got rough. And that's exactly what happened between the two friends who thought they would stay friends forever. Promises were made to be broken. That was their only use.


	5. Chapter 4

**Here's chapter 4. Halfway to the end guys! Sorry for the late update!**

The discovery of the dark boy's ring hanging around the blond boy's neck, almost like it was…treasured, was shocking to say the least. He had run out of the library like his tail was on fire, back to his apartment before he had a panic attack. But it was just his luck that he hadn't made it in time before his heartbeat started to pick up the pace. He had to duck into an abandoned alley before he caused a scene.

His breath came in short gasps, and he clawed at his chest, as if trying to open up his airways. He squatted down on his thighs, and put his head between his knees, trying to calm down. His skin started to get hot, and suddenly the walls of the alley were way too close together. Even though it was in the middle of winter, he shucked off his outer coat to let some air in. But even that was too much clothing. He pulled off his hoodie so he was only in a long sleeved Henley. Finally he was cool enough, but his breath was still uneven and he couldn't exactly see straight. He stayed in his hunched state on the ground, even though it was filthy and cold with snow. Eventually the fog from his breath was more even, and slower. Standing up, he gathered his various coats and walked out of the alley.

If he thought he wasn't going to get weird stares at his thin shirt, he was sorely wrong. People gawked at him like he was an animal who couldn't understand them. They whispered and pointed at him like he was an alien. He kept his head down and his eyes on the ground, but he could still sense when someone looked a beat too long at his arms and the thin material that covered them. His only saving grace (A/N like Jason!) was that his apartment was relatively close to the library so he had only a short distance to walk and be noticed by people who had nothing better to do.

Once he was through the door, he dropped his coats in a soaking pile of wet on the floor, kicked off his shoes and flopped on his couch. He draped his arm over his head and tried not to think about the trip to the library. But he couldn't avoid the stark truth: his blond boy kept the ring they had exchanged more than ten years ago. That could only mean one of two things, either _he _remembered their childhood together, or it just happened to match his outfit that day. It was probably the first, but the dark haired boy didn't want to get his hopes up only to find out that the blond hadn't remembered anything and the ring was just a fluke meant to tease him. No matter what happened, he couldn't afford to let himself be known to the blond for fear of being rejected or rebuffed, or not remembered. He could live with only the memories of his blond boy as long as they weren't tarnished by the image of the other boy looking at him with a blank stare or revulsion.

Turning over on the couch, the dark haired boy looked at the time. He had only spent half an hour at the library before he had freaked himself out with the ring. Normally he spent at least two hours looking at the blond before he decided it was creepy how long he watched the other boy. He hadn't even seen the blond pick out a book, or sit in his customary blue chair.

Noticing that it had taken him almost an hour for his panic attack to subside, he decided it was a good time to take a nap. All the stress of school, bullying, and seeing his ring around the blond boy's neck had taken its toll on the dark haired boy. Lying down in his still soaking clothing, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, where he was sure it was better than reality.

He was wrong.

As soon as he closed his eyes, his past started to creep up into the corners of his mind, not quite there, but close enough that he could see them. Images of the blond haired boy swam behind his eyelids. In some he was young, really young, with his arms around a small, dark haired boy that he recognized as himself. But in others he was the handsome doctor who went to the library on Tuesdays and Thursdays who had captured the dark haired boy's heart.

After a while, the pictures stopped being pictures, and turned into videos. Scenes out of his childhood were played back for him, as though it hadn't been painful enough when they happened. One particular scene stood out at him. The day he moved back.

_The whole plane ride, Nico wondered how much the old city had changed. Was the ice cream parlor still owned by that stingy old man who never quite gave you two full scoops? Did the family on the corner of his street finally sell their house? Who lived in _his_ old house? Was the old playground still there? And, more importantly, was Will still here? Nico had decided against warning Will of his return to their hometown. He didn't even have his address anymore. Will probably didn't even remember Nico, and all the fun times they had. The thought made Nico's blood run cold. How could someone mean so much to him, when he hadn't seen Will in over a decade? How could someone take up your entire world, when they themselves didn't remember you? Depressed, and not wanting to spend the plane ride obsessing over someone he would probably never see again, Nico decided to take a nap. He was flying halfway across the world after all._

_ He dreamed of times long past, of scenes from his childhood. He dreamed of sunshine and light, and suns and happiness. When someone bumped his shoulder, he awoke feeling light and happy, like he slept for eight hours rather than four. Looking out his window, he was surprised to see they were already there. He was in New York again. He sighed with happiness. Although Italy had been fun, and new, and interesting, Nico had never quite let New York out of his heart. He had missed the ice cream, the hustle and bustle, the friendliness of everyone. Nico grabbed his bags and walked off the plane._

_ Moving from an Italian speaking country to an English speaking one wasn't as hard as he thought it was going to be. He listened to all the people speaking English in the airport, and tried to turn his language switch on. He realized that he remembered more than he thought he did. After not speaking English for more than ten years, he wasn't sure how he was going to fit back in with society, but he needn't have worried. Although Italian was one of the parents of English, words were very different, as well as the way you said them. Nico guessed he would have an Italian accent for the rest of his life._

_ Dragging his suitcase around behind him, he wandered out of the airport and tried in vain to find an empty taxi. At this time of day, everyone was leaving work, and going home, so no one was going to stop and take him around the city when there were paying customers who had money to burn. Sighing, he picked up his bags, and started walking to where he thought his hotel was located. But he didn't mind. He wanted time to wander around the streets, and alleys of his old city, to reacquaint himself with his old city. He had missed this. It was worth leaving his old home for his even older childhood memories._

_ He strolled down road after road, looking at the buildings and shops of New York. After a while, he realized he was lost. He had no idea where he was, where his hotel was, and he thought he might have lost a bag he had just noticed was gone, somewhere on his journey down memory lane. Pulling out his map, Nico tried to find something he recognized. Then he realized that he had been walking in the complete opposite direction of where his hotel was located. Groaning at his stupidity, he snatched his bags, and stalked off in the right direction this time._

_ Of course, with all his good luck, the weather decided now was a good time to start snowing. Wet, miserable, tired and just done with this stupid city, Nico huffed again and continued on his way. When he had moved back to New York, he hadn't been taking into account all the bad things about the city. He had only remembered the good points of his old home, not the snow, or the busy taxis, or the fast walking people who occasionally ran into him in their hurry to get home. Nico was sure his face was permanently set into a scowl. And that's when a taxi came a little too close to the sidewalk, and doused him in water. He was getting ready to cry, when he saw a tiny sign that indicated an even tinier turn onto the road he recognized was the one on which his hotel was located._

_ Eventually, he reached a building at which he thought he booked a room. Gathering his assortment of belongings and bags, he walked through the door, and into the hotel he hoped would be temporary. It had stained carpets, dusty chandeliers, and an old man who was hard of hearing at the front desk-if he could even call it a front desk. Living in the country hadn't made him a rich man, and moving back to the states had left him with less money than he had thought. As a result, he was staying in this dingy little hotel that didn't even keycards-he had an actual key for his room. This was unfortunately located on the seventh floor of a building that didn't have any operating elevators. Dragging his various bags and suitcases, he resigned himself to walking up seven flights of stairs._

_Huffing his way up the sixth flight of stairs, Nico found himself cursing this city, his nostalgia, his lack of money, his one hundred pound bags, his short stature and even shorter legs, and his tendency to get out of breath a lot. The only thing that made this trip seem worthwhile was the chance that he could maybe see Will. Actually, on second thought Nico realized that it was probably better that they never met again, just in case Will didn't remember Nico, or worse, Will was in a relationship and didn't want anything to do with Nico. He didn't think he would be able to handle that, so it was better to not taint his memories of his childhood. He knew it was very close-minded and very cowardly of him to just not choose to see his old best friend, but then again, he was never really known for his courage. That was always Will. Nico wished he was braver, that he had the courage to talk to Will, and reacquaint himself with his friend, but he didn't. He couldn't risk it. Not again. Not ever again. Because promises made you feel like you were on top of the world, like you actually mattered to this person. But then they left you crashing back down to the earth, burning up and disintegrating until you felt nothing when they were broken._

**See you next week! Hopefully on time...**


	6. Chapter 5

**This is becoming a habit of mine...I apologize for the lateness of last week's chapter, so here is another one early...hopefully I can get my crap together next week and actually upload on Monday. But I wouldn't hold out any hope.**

**Some people asked for a chapter in Will's point of view. I have already written out this entire fanfic, so it's only Nico, but I am currently working on a spin-off of these events in Will's pov. It's slow going, and I have lost inspiration, so I am not even half way done. I will publish the first chapter of that one when I have finished writing it up, but that might not be for a while. Let me know what you think of this new chapter!**

The dark haired boy awoke to the sound of his alarm going off. He cursed to himself; he had slept in again. He dashed out of bed, still wearing the clothes from the day before, threw on a jacket and ran out the door, barely remembering to grab an apple on his way out.

His day was a haze of lazy people, lukewarm coffee and paperwork. Lots of paperwork. Sighing for what seemed like the millionth time that day, the pale boy finished up his last assignment and got ready to leave. Taking his jacket off the hook at the door, he strolled out of the building, and started walking home.

It was an unusually warm day for the end of September. The sun was shining, and the sky was clear of clouds. It was a day _he _would have liked. A long time ago, the dark haired boy and the blond boy would have raced outside, ready to play whatever latest game they had devised to entertain themselves. But not anymore. With a scowl permanently etched on his face, he hunched his shoulders down, and stomped back to his apartment, already done with the memories of his former best friend.

Walking into his apartment, he threw his jacket somewhere near the coat rack at the door, and kicked his shoes off somewhere near the rug at the door. With all the reminiscing he had been doing over the past couple of days, not to mention the near heart attack he had after seeing his ring around the blond's neck, he thought he deserved a relatively nice evening by himself, with no mention or thought of the blond. Nodding to himself, he decided to turn some music on to set the mood. Switching on the radio, he listened to the latest pop crap that was always playing. Scowling again, he flipped through the stations, trying to get a song that wasn't half bad or filled with static. Giving up after he went through all the stations twice, and didn't find anything better than Taylor Swift or classical music, he went back to the horrendous pop music, thinking it was nice background noise while he made dinner for himself.

Bustling around the kitchen, he gathered up ingredients to make pasta. Yes, he was Italian, and yes, he loved pasta. And yes, he was chronically angry. Basically the definition of a stereotypical Italian guy.

Throwing spices and tomato sauce in a pot, he tried to dance along to whatever song was on the radio. And ending up failing and flailing everywhere. And he also stubbed his toe. _See, _he told himself,_ this is what happens when you try to be happy._ _It backfires._ But, he continued to dance and prance around his apartment while his pasta cooked, desperate to prove to himself that he could still have a good time without having to delve into his memory box.

Finally the pasta was ready, and a nice-ish song was on the radio. He hummed along to the melody, knowing some but not all the words. It was a slow song, perfect for dancing with your arms around your loved one's neck. But the dark haired boy didn't have anyone to wrap his arms around. There was no one for him, and if he continued pushing everyone away like he did the blond, he might never have anyone to dance to this song with. So much for having a pleasant day by himself without any thought of his old best friend.

Sighing heavily, he took his pasta off the burner, and served himself the largest portion of pasta he could fit on his plate. He ate when he was stressed or upset. It was a wonder he wasn't fat yet, given how often he was stressed and depressed. But, he wasn't overweight by any means, and he wasn't going to break his habit now. So he sat down at the table, and started to eat his pasta.

While he had been thinking to himself if he should repaint his walls to black instead of the cheery blue his sister had insisted would be "simply marvelous," he had started to tune out the radio. He had missed the weather report, the traffic scan, and the multiple ads that no one cared about. But, the next song that came on was enough to snap the dark haired boy out of his contemplative state, and back into reality. Or rather, back into the past.

_It had been a bad day. Nico had forgotten his homework at home, again, and the teacher had threatened to call home if it kept happening. The truth was, he was scared of running into his father, so he had snuck out of the house through the back way, skipping breakfast, and forgetting his folder on the kitchen counter. But no one needed to know that. Will had also been absent, which was the cause of Nico's unease. Usually Will called to let him know that he was sick, or was missing a day due to a doctor's appointment. But there had been no phone call today. Paired with his empty stomach and lack of homework, the lack of his best friend was another blow to an already miserable day. Nico couldn't wait to get back home and hopefully visit Will to make sure he was okay. But, it seemed the stars were not aligned for Nico, for his father was home from work early, and was waiting in the kitchen, poised like a hawk, ready to pounce on anything he found offensive. Which happened to be Nico. His father railed on him for so long, Nico's mind started to wander off topic, and he barely had the sense to remember to nod when he was supposed to and keep eye contact. That's how he ended up splayed on his bed with a bruised the size of Hong Kong on his stomach. His father didn't like it when you didn't pay attention when he was talking to you. At least it was able to be hidden under his clothes. _

_Thoroughly depressed by the day, Nico pulled himself off his bed, and over to his friend's house. Hopefully Will would be able to cheer Nico up. When Nico knocked on the door, he heard scrambling before the lock was flipped, and the door opened to reveal a disheveled Will. Which reminded Nico of his other problem. The way his heart started racing whenever Will so much as looked at him. Nico knew he shouldn't feel like this, especially towards his best friend who was unfortunately a guy. He was disgusted with his heart, and his legs for turning to jelly when Will smirked, and his stomach for getting butterflies when Will laughed. Pulling himself together, he noticed Will was looking at him with an odd expression on his face._

_"What's wrong Nico? Something happen?" Will asked gently. Nico could only nod-anything more and he would lose control right on the doorway of Will's house. His friend immediately pulled him into a hug, which Nico gratefully accepted._

_"I'm okay," Nico muttered into Will's shoulder. Sometimes Nico cursed Will's height, but at times like this, he couldn't be happier to muffle his voice into his friend's body._

_"No, you're not," Will said matter-of-factly. Will could always see past Nico's lies. He was the only one who cared enough to read the truth in Nico's eyes. Today was no exception._

_"Was it your father? Did he do something? I swear to God, if he so much as raised his voice at you I'll-" Will was cut off by his friend's small, uncertain voice._

_"It was nothing Will. I just got careless. I should have seen it coming, but today was already a rough day and I didn't really want to deal with him and can we just go up to your room?" Nico whispered, fearful of Will's answer. He really just wanted to be comforted by his best friend, and told lies about how everything was going to be okay, even though he knew they weren't._

_"Of course we can. You can tell me anything you know that right?" Will asked, with a little fear in his voice, like he wasn't sure what the answer would be._

_"Yeah, I know," Nico said, looking down at his feet. Without looking up, Nico could feel the smile oozing off of Will. Unconscious, Nico felt his own lips peel back into a smile. They made their way up the stairs and into Will's room. Nico flopped on the bed, and Will followed without a word. _

_"Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong? Or are we going to play the guessing game again?" Will asked with a hesitant smile playing on his lips. Nico looked down shamefully. He had never liked keeping secrets from Will, and this time was no different. So he explained to his friend about the bad start of the day with his dad, and his lack of homework and lack of breakfast. Then he whispered about the beating he had gotten from his father when he had arrived home from school. But, no matter how much he trusted Will, Nico was not going to tell him about his newfound feelings for guys, for his friend in specific._

_"Oh my god Nico. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you today," Will looked down at his lap, as though he felt guilty for leaving Nico alone._

_"Wait, why weren't you there at school today?" Nico asked quizzically. _

_"Well, my sister got sick today and my mom wasn't able to take off work, so I stayed home to take care of her," Will said. "But I should have been there for you today. I should have protected you from your dad. You don't deserve this Nico," Will muttered to himself. Nico was surprised Will cared enough about him to say thing like that. The more Nico thought about it, the more he was confused about Will's emotions. Why did he say Nico didn't deserve it? Of course he deserved it. He didn't turn in his homework, he was a failure who didn't listen to his father, he disobeyed his mother, he had feelings for another guy, he sucked at literally everything, he was ugly, he was stupid, he was short, he was too attached to his friend and couldn't bear to lose him (which couldn't be healthy at all), he was too shy, he had no friends except for Will, he had no siblings and no one to take care of him, his mother ignored him, his father hated him, his hair was too long, his face was too pale, he was too lazy to do anything productive with his life, he procrastinated too much and he shouldn't even be alive and and and-_

_"Hey hey, Nico, calm down man," Will grabbed his shoulders which were shaking. Nico didn't even realize he was working himself up into a panic attack until Will interrupted his inner monologue. His entire body was shaking with tremors, and he couldn't quite catch his breath. Will hugged him close to his own body, trying to calm him down. He rubbed Nico's back and whispered words to him that he couldn't quite understand, but knew they were meant to comfort him. Slowly, Nico came back to himself enough so that he could hear some of the words Will was whispering to him: _You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away. _It was the first time he had heard those words, but it would not be the last._

The song on the radio was the same song Will sang to him all those years ago. _You are my sunshine._ Every time Nico would work himself into a frenzy, Will was there, with his warm body and strong shoulders that would protect him from the world. And the song. The most important thing was the song. Nico came to love that song. He felt like it was _their _song. Their own, personal song. Outwardly, Nico shoved Will away when he started singing, but inwardly, he basked in the lyrics and the rough, gravelly sound of Will's voice whispering in his ear. _This, _he thought, _this is happiness._

But, like all good things, Will's deep singing voice had to end. And so did the song on the radio. When Nico moved away, he removed anything that could even remotely remind him of _that _song. _Their _song. Because Will wasn't always there with the sunshine song. And his sunshine was taken away in the end. Just like all the broken promises he tried to push to the back of his mind, but never quite stayed unremembered.

**See you (hopefully) next Monday!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Oh my god what is my problem?! I can not seem to remember that MONDAY is my update day! I'm actually really upset with myself. I'm so sorry guys. I'm not usually forgetful or irresponsible like this.**

**Anyways, this is the next chapter!**

The library. The only place the dark haired boy could truly be himself. And also coincidentally the only place he could stalk his blond boy without looking like a creeper. Trying to push the song out of his mind from yesterday, the dark haired boy grabbed his jacket and ran out the door, hoping he wasn't going to be late to meet, actually to stalk, his old friend.

Despite his best efforts to get to the library on time, the dark haired boy was five minutes late. And the blond boy was nowhere to be seen. Not in the young adult section. Not in the movie aisle. Not in his customary blue chair. Nowhere. While outwardly, the pale boy was just scanning the books, looking for one that intrigued him, inwardly he was freaking out. Where was the blond boy? _He_ was never late for a visit to the library. Worried about what to do with his time now, the dark haired boy settled down with a book, sat in his normal red chair across the library from the red one, and waited.

After two hours, the black haired boy decided that the blond was not coming to the library today. Which was a shame, because the pale boy had really been looking forward to seeing his old best friend. Even more than normal actually. And it was all because of that dumb song he heard yesterday. Somehow, even with his best intentions, his brain always took him back to memories of his friend. Whether they were happy ones, like the time they traded family rings, or sad ones like the flashback of the song, his brain couldn't seem to leave the past in the past. And the only times when he could live in the present was when he came to the library and saw his friend in the flesh.

The dark haired boy sighed as it seemed like he was stuck in the past for today. He got up from his sitting position in the chair, and stretched his legs, which had been folded under him for the past two hours. He raised his arms over his head, and yawned, like he had just awoken from the most refreshing nap ever. The black haired boy put back the book he had, which he didn't even bother reading. Walking out of the library, his feet took the path back to his apartment while his mind wandered.

Back in his apartment, he deposited his jacket and shoes somewhere near the door, and headed straight to his room where he promptly flopped on his bed with a groan.

The thought that he had to wait another two days before he was able to see his best friend made the dark haired boy groan again in disappointment. Deciding he needed to do something other than fantasize and/or agonize over the long wait before he could see his friend, he stood up and walked to the door. He was going out tonight. He was going to be a normal college student, go out to a party or a club, get horrendously drunk, make-out with a cute boy, and pass out, hopefully, on the couch. Nodding his head at his wise decision, he pulled his sweater off his head and went over to his closet, hoping he still had that blue button-down shirt his sister had gotten him one year for Christmas. He also hoped he had some nicer jeans than the ripped ones he was wearing at the moment…

Ten minutes later, he was dressed to his satisfaction in the button-down, skinny black jeans that immediately pointed out his sexuality to everyone, and combat boots that probably needed to be replaced; he grabbed his coat and strolled out the door.

Finding a club that would let him in was easier than he thought. All he had to do was look at the bouncer with hooded eyes that he had run eyeliner over, and he was immediately let in with a wink. Disgusted that the fat guy thought he had half a chance with anyone, the dark haired boy shook his head as he walked inside.

The lyrics of the song couldn't even be heard over the thumping bass of the speakers that seemed to be everywhere. The lights were off, and only streaming strobe lights illuminated the inside. The floor was taken up by people dancing, or a perverted version of dancing. Cups were strewn all over the floor, as were people the dark haired boy really hoped were just passed out. He picked his way across the room to where he hoped the bar was.

Judging by the amount of drunken or drugged girls being herded out by shady looking guys, the dark haired boy decided he had to watch the bartender as he poured his cup. He watched out for any unwanted substances that would incapacitate him, because he wasn't sure he was going to be able to stop himself if he decided that the party would be better enjoyed naked. With his cup in his hand, he took a sip and scanned the scene of grinding silhouettes. He saw multiple faces with who he wouldn't mind sharing a kiss or two. He distinctly remembered seeing one of them wink at him. Although he was here to have fun, he wasn't sure he was ready to be sucking face with someone when he wasn't even half drunk yet.

So he finished off his drink and made his way to the dance floor where he saw many hungry glances at his body. When he was stuck in the center of the gyrating bodies, he threw his head back, and tried to ignore the disapproving voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like his sister. He was going to enjoy himself and no one could stop him.

After a bit; it could have been minutes, or hours that he spent dancing in the grasps of random people, guys and girls alike, the dark haired boy decided he needed to get another drink. It could have been his second, or his fifth, he couldn't really remember anything that had happened over the past hour or so. But judging by the amount of money he still had in his pockets, either he hadn't had very many drinks, or someone else had bought them for him. This thought made him slightly scared, because he didn't want to be taken away to somewhere seedy by an even seedier guy who thought this skimpy little boy was easy pickings. Even though he was mostly drunk and probably drugged and his coordination was a mess, the dark haired boy could still hold himself in a fight. But he certainly didn't want to be caught unawares if someone did decide to jump him. He had enough common sense to know that he should probably leave before things got ugly. He stumbled out of the middle of the dance floor, and tried to push, shove, and squeeze his way out of the club. The fat bouncer had been replaced by a skinnier, pock-marked man who had a long nose and far too many piercings. He did not wink at the dark haired boy when he left.

Looking back on his decision to leave, the dark haired boy should have remembered to get his jacket. He shivered and wrapped his arms around his body, which was enclosed in only a flimsy long sleeved shirt that was way too tight and thin to be doing much of anything for him. Now that he was out of the warm writhing bodies of the club, he was very cold, and wanted someone to cuddle him and lend him some warmth. Unbidden, an image of his blond friend came into his brain. Back when they were children and it was cold outside, they would sit inside and make a blanket fort. Sitting with their hot cocoas, they would trade hoodies and snuggle up with each other, desperate to salvage what little warmth they had managed to create.

Stranded in the cold with nothing but a thin shirt between him and the freezing temperatures, he would have given anything for one of the blond boy's sweatshirts, even if they were usually covered in something horrendously happy, or sunny. But this was not an option now, and it probably would never be an option again. Miserable, sad, and depressed about his lack of company and potential cuddlers, he trudged on, not wanting to get hypothermia or frostbite.

Soon it was snowing. Hard. Big, thick snowflakes graced the sky and covered the ground with white. If he had been warmer, or perhaps inside, he would have thought it was beautiful. But he was outside, freezing his bottom off, so he did not find it beautiful at all. He shivered again and tried to wrap his arms closer around his body, which did nothing to help his situation, but at least he tried.

After forever, he found himself outside of a familiar building. Searching in his pockets for his key, he started to panic when it wasn't in any of his pockets. Then he remembered that he had put it in his jacket for safe-keeping, just in case someone decided to be a little friendly and he somehow lost his jeans. Now he was regretting that decision, because it left him outside, in the cold, with nothing but a shirt between him and the elements.

Getting ready to cry at how badly this night had turned out, he slid to the ground. By now his body was so cold it wasn't even feeling the temperatures any more. It was almost as though his body had just quit. He was sure to have frostbite, probably pneumonia, and a bajillion other things that would send him to the hospital.

Rather than wait for someone to find him frozen to death in the morning, he decided to give the hospital a heads-up. He pulled out his phone and when the person on the other side picked up and asked him what his emergency was, he said something like _I'm cold and forgot my key somewhere and I can't get in my house_. By some miracle the lady understood him and asked him for his address. He splurted (A/N yes I just made that word up) out some numbers that he hoped were in the right order and prayed she had some sort of tracking thing because he wasn't sure he was completely coherent. The lady asked him to stay on the line and not die before they got to him. He thought that was pretty considerate, considering they probably got many prank calls like this every day.

Although he tried to stay awake and on the phone, soon the pull of unconsciousness was too strong. Almost knocked out because of the cold, he worried about what the lady on the other side of the phone thought. He hoped they didn't think it was just a lame, not thought out prank call. He mumbled something that maybe sounded like _sorry _to the lady for falling asleep, but he didn't quite catch her response because he was already out like a light. He hoped the lady would follow through on her promise that he wouldn't die on her watch, but he didn't have very much experiences with promises that were kept, so he wasn't holding out for much.

**Oooh! Is Nico going to die? Just have to wait for next week's chapter! Sorry again for the late update:(**


	8. Chapter 7

**So this chapter is pitifully short...I try to do this thing where I never upload/publish a chapter that is less than 1,000 words, because I feel it is a waste of time to read anything else. But this had to be cut off at 600-odd words, so I apologize in advance.**

**Also, who's proud? I successfully updated on a Monday!**

_Previously on PWMTBK Chapter 6..._

_Although he tried to stay awake and on the phone, soon the pull of unconsciousness was too strong. Almost knocked out because of the cold, he worried about what the lady on the other side of the phone thought. He hoped they didn't think it was just a lame, not thought out prank call. He mumbled something that maybe sounded like sorry to the lady for falling asleep, but he didn't quite catch her response because he was already out like a light. He hoped the lady would follow through on her promise that he wouldn't die on her watch, but he didn't have very much experiences with promises that were kept, so he wasn't holding out for much._

Waking up in the hospital freezing his arse off in an uncomfortable bed wearing nothing but his underwear was not an item on the black haired boy's bucket list. But he guessed he could cross it off on the list of things he never wanted to experience again. He was appreciative that the lady had kept her promise. He wasn't really in the mood for dying. Groaning, he opened his eyes and was immediately blinded by the bright sterile lights of the hospital. Hoping this wasn't some version of heaven, he looked around his surroundings. There weren't many people in this section of the hospital, and they were all sleeping. Including his sister who was sleeping in the chair by his bed. He supposed he should be grateful that someone cared enough about him to check that he wasn't frozen to death, but at the moment, he wasn't feeling very grateful for anything. Especially his lack of clothing. He shivered, and tried to bring the sheets up closer to his chin, but that action left his feet uncovered. Even at his condensed height the sheets were too small. With a sigh, he searched for his clothing, which weren't the best things to be wearing right now, but he felt very exposed dressed in only his underwear.

After a quick sweep of his room, he found no clothes, no food, no heater, and no nothing. He was unbearably cold and wished that someone would come in with some hot chocolate, or maybe even some pants. The dark haired boy didn't think that pants would be too uncalled for in this situation.

He waited a little longer before his discomfort had him shifting in the bed, looking for the warmest position for his body. His moving must have woken up his sister, because she was looking up at him with bleary eyes. He tried to ignore the dark circles under her eyes, but he couldn't. She must have stayed up half the night worried about him.

Finally she appeared awake enough to realize that her brother was awake, and not dead, so she threw her arms around his neck. He made a sound of surprise, no one voluntarily touched him except his sister, and he was still not used to her abrupt gestures of affection. He awkwardly patted her back and smoothed her hair, which was a mess after her impromptu nap in the hospital chair.

When he drew back from the hug, he could see her eyes were brimming with tears. He wiped her cheeks with the pad of his thumb, and tried to smile. But his lips were very chapped and cold, so it probably turned out as more of a grimace. He was also reminded of the warm coat his sister was wearing, and he unconsciously shivered again. Following his gaze, his sister seemed to realize that he was still very cold, so she took off her jacket and draped it over his shaking shoulders. Mumbling a thanks, he pulled the jacket closer together until he was completely wrapped up in a combination of the ineffective sheets and his sister's coat. He was finally getting feeling back in his toes and fingers.

He watched as his sister got up from her chair, and stretched, popping something in her back that must have felt good, because she stood up straighter now. She walked out into the hallway, probably looking for a nurse. He didn't need a nurse. The dark haired boy was fine now. He was out of the cold, and had a means of getting home. All he really needed were his clothes.

Sulking, he didn't see the newcomer until he was right in front of the bed. The dark haired boy peeked through his blanket cocoon at the legs of his nurse. They were clad in jeans, and weren't actually girls' legs. It was a guy nurse. Hoping that he might at least get a hot nurse, the dark haired boy looked up through his bangs at the face of his nurse. And into the gaze of the last person he thought he would ever see face-to-face.

**OMG! Who could it be?! Not that big a cliffhanger, but I wanted to end it here. Last chapter is next, but it's even shorter...you'll understand when you read it.**


	9. Chapter 8

_Previously, on PWMTBK..._

_Sulking, he didn't see the newcomer until he was right in front of the bed. The dark haired boy peeked through his blanket cocoon at the legs of his nurse. They were clad in jeans, and weren't actually girls' legs. It was a guy nurse. Hoping that he might at least get a hot nurse, the dark haired boy looked up through his bangs at the face of his nurse. And into the gaze of the last person he thought he would ever see face-to-face..._

"Will?"

"Nico?"

"I…what? You know who I am?!"

"Of course I do you idiot! We were best friends remember? How could I forget someone like you Nico?"

"Well, I-I I just thought-"

"You thought what? That just because you moved away and didn't keep in touch, I would just forget about you? What kind of person do you think I am?"

"I didn't think you cared enough to remember me…"

"What?! That's BS Nico and you know it. You meant everything to me! You were my best friend. I cared more about you than I did myself. I can't believe you couldn't see that. Did you honestly think that I would forget about the best thing that ever happened to me?"

"Yes?"

"Unbelievable."

"Wait, I was the best thing that ever happened to you?"

"Yes you idiot."

"Oh."

"So, are you going to tell me why you're here? Why did you move back? When did you move back? Why didn't you tell me you were coming back? And why the hell are you in the hospital?!"

"Umm…I'm back because I missed New York. I moved back a couple years ago. I didn't tell you because I was afraid you wouldn't remember me, or you didn't want anything to do with me, or you had moved on and I couldn't bear that. Oh, and I almost died from hypothermia, so I called the hospital."

"Wait, moved on?"

"Umm…forget that I said anything. And you picked up on that, but not the fact that I almost died of hypothermia?"

"No wait, moved on from what? You?"

"-"

"Like, I had a new best friend and had replaced you?"

"Not really."

"Explain then."

"Well, I was afraid that-that you had-that maybe there was-"

"Spit it out Nico!"

"That you were dating someone else."

"As in, someone else…other than you."

"Yes."

"Why would I date someone other than my soulmate?"

Promises had been broken too often in Nico's life, but he thinks he finally found one that was kept, and one person who had kept every single promise he made. And he thinks maybe promises could be broken, but they were made to be kept.

The End

**Explanation: So, I didn't use names in the normal story; only in flashbacks. In the main story I only used titles such as "the dark haired boy" or "the blond boy." I also don't use dialogue; once again, only in flashbacks do I show people talking. So for the last chapter, I decided to do ****_only_**** dialogue, and use names. And I did this because without each other in their lives, it was like everything that had meaning, like talking and names, had been gone as well. So with the introduction and the meeting of each other, dialogue and names come back, because that's how much they meant to each other. **

**Also I tried to end every chapter with some variation on "promises were made to be broken" then ended the whole thing with that thing about Will being the only one who kept all the promises he ever made to Nico.** **And hence, the name of this fic.**

**Hope you liked it! Finally done...**


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